Automobile-chassis.



M. S, TWSO'N,

AUTOMQBILE CHASSIS. LPELIGATIOE FILED APB. 1, 1909. Lgg PatentedDe0.10,1912.

s SHEETS-MEET 1.

M. s. TOWSON.

AUTOMOBILE CHASSIS.

APPLIATON FILED APR. 1, 1909. 1,046,681 Patented Deo'. 10, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M. S. TWSSN.

AUTOMOBILE CHASSIS.

APPLIOATIDN FILED Am. 1, 19m),

mem@ nec. 10, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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Monats s. Towson, or cnnvntannjonro.

AUTOMOBILE-CHASSIS.

Application filed April 1, 1909. Serial No. 487,188.

To all whom it. may con cem:

Be it known that I, MORRIS S. Towson, a citizen of the United States,residing` at Cleveland, in vthe county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automobile-Chassis, of which the following is a full, clear, land exactdescription.

The present invention relates to automobile construction and is' moreparticularly directed to the disposition of the power plant of themachine.

-of the strains and stresses to which the chassis is subjected inordinary use.

A further object has been to so arrange .the power plant as to lessenthe eifect of the vertical pounding of the load upon the rear tiresduring t-ravel over rough roads, and it has been. my purpose to achievethis object without impairing the efficiency of the apparatus orintroducing a complicated structure.

A further object has been to provide means whereby the tension upon thesprings caused by the tendency of the motor to travel around the rearaxle shall be lessened.

A still further object has been to provide means whereby the power plantmay be supported by a three point suspension system in such manner as toobviate possible distortion of the parts during travel..

The above objects and other desirable advantages it will be seen areattained by that embodiment of my invention described in the followingspecification and illustrated in t-he accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure l is a side elevation of the chassis of an electric automobileembodying my invention, the body of the vehicle being indicated indotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the chassis partly broken awayfor the better illustration of the arrangement of parts. Fig. 3 is anenlarged plan view partly in section showing" the details of the drivingconnections. Fig. 4. is a transverse section on thc line 4 1 of Fig. 3,.showing the eccentric location of the jack shaft bearings in thebushingin which they are mounted. The frame A of the chassis hereillustrated comprises a cross bar A located preferably slightly forwardof the middle of the machine, which cross barhas beneath the same aswivel support A2. A reach B preferably formed of two tubes unitedtogether at their forward end extends between the swiveled support andthe usual housing C inclusing the differential gearing and the rearaxles. ln the present case the two tubes forming the reach are caused todiverge somewhat at their rear end and are fitted into sockets on thehousing` for the differential gear. On the rear port-ion of this reachin front of the differential housing, is adjustably supported the powerplant D, which, in the present instance, comprises an electric .motorsubstantially inclosed.

As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2,'

the transmission from the motor to the differential gear comprises asprocket D on the end of the motor shaft communicating motion to a largesprocket D3 on the end of a jack shaft D" through the medium' of a chaindrive D2, which jack shaft has on its opposite end a sprocket D5connected by a chain with a sprocket D on the drum of the diferential.There is no inventive feat-ure claimed for the specific 'character oftransmission just described, and it is therefore unnecessary to dwellupon its structural features further.

The mounting for the jack shaft Dt comprises a rotatably adjustablebushing D7 in which the bearings for the said jack shaft areeccentrically located in such manner that.

by the rotation of the bushing the distance of the axis of the shaftfrom the axis of the differential sprocket may be varied, thus providingmeans for tightening the chain dri ve connection between the two whenoccasion may arise therefor. Any forward movement of the jack shaft forthcpurpose of tightening this drive connection would naturally result inloosening'the chain drive connection between this same jack shaft andthe motor shaft. YVhen this occurs the motor is shifted forward alongthe reach, the connections between the motor and the housing for thedriving chain being of such character as to permit this adjustment, aswill be seen by reference to Fig 3. This is a very decided advantagesince by it I am enabled to maintain the proper driving conditions atall times without sacrificing any other desirable feature of theconstruction.

the differential housing, it will be apparent that'no amount of verticalvibration on the part of the frame of the vehicle will change therelationship of the power plant or any portion of it to the drivenparts. The vertical play of the body with regard to the rear axle maytake place to any extent without distortion of the connecting devicesbetween the motor and the rear axle, owing to the above recitedconstruction, by which the reach on which the power plant hangs,swinging freely about the rearaxle. The swivel connections at theforward end of the reach, of course, eliminates strain upon the latterduring the vibration of the body.

One of the advantages of the arrangement here shown for accomplishingthepurpose outlined is that the parts are readily accessible at alltimes, it being quite easy to ilustra-p the motor casing from the reachand permit the plant to be swung downward away from the reach, for thepurpose of convenient handling when this isdesirable. It will further be'seen that, owing to the heavier part of the plant being located at somolittle distance in advance of the rear axle, and owing to the fact thatthe forward y end of the reach is connected to the frame in thestrainplaced upon the springs duev to the well known tendency of the motor tov travel around the rear axle, which tendency is a reactionary result ofturning the axle forward under the load, which 1s a matter of advantage.inelectric. vehicles 'in which the springs are comparatively `light andsensitive. f

In addition to the above advantages I- would again call attention tothefaet 4that the structure permits the maintenance 'of any desiredtension upon the driving chains and also afords-means by which theentire power plant is carried by a three point suspension with the'forward 'point vwidely seppose reduction transmission between theniotor and the drivin axle. By the use of lreduction transmission I amenabled to employ a high speed motor, thereby greatly rejducing theweight below thatnecessary fory a motor having such low speed as wouldbe practically necessary if it were geared di' rectly to the drivingaxle.

Such a saving in the weight of the motor is obviouslygt)l great benefitin prolonging the life 'drfth'er" tires, not to mention the reduction inthe total mass to be propelled by the batteries.

`Having thus described my invention, I claim: l f

l. A. vehicle comprising axles, a Iframe supported by the axles, acasing surrotinding the-rear axle, a reach rigidly connected at its rearend with said casing and lat its forward end :yieldingly connected tothe frame, a powerplant suplported by the reach and adjustable therealong, a reduction transmissionj'between the power plant and the rear-axlei''a casing inclosing `the 'transmission and rigidly' conf. nectedwith the axle easn'ig,.sa1d trnsrnlssion including a countershaftsupported by the transmission casing between the power,`

plant and the rear axle..l 1,', n l l Q. A vehicle comprising. alpalr ofaxles, 4a frame supported above the axles, one of said axles being adriving axle,'a;spring in@A tei-posed between each of said axlesxand'theframe, a reach oscillatably mounted on the.

driving-axle and supported by the frame adjacent to the other axle, alongitudinally adjustable power plant'hung on said reach, andtransmission vdevices in acasing rigidly mounted on the reach andrear-axleicsl'xg, a counter shaft in saidtransmission .easing"sprocket-connected to the power plant .atene side and to the rear axleat the other, with" eccentric sleeve bearings for said shaftsuitably4mounted 'in said casing. In testimony whereof, I hereunto ax mysignature in the 'presence of two witnesses.'

MGRRIS S. TOWSON". 'Witnessesz H. R. SULLIVAN, G. C. Palmare. 'I

front and rear Lea?

